Molecular beam epitaxial growth of (100) oriented CdTe on Si (100) using BaF2-CaF2 as a buffer

Abstract

Epitaxial CdTe (100) has been grown on (100) oriented Si by molecular beam epitaxy using BaF₂‐CaF₂ as a buffer. Two‐dimensional (2‐D) growth of BaF₂(100) is obtained using low‐temperature thermal cycles during growth. CdTe growth is also 2‐D above 270 °C substrate temperature and a 2×1 surface reconstruction indicating a Te‐stabilized surface is obtained. The growth is 3‐D at lower substrate temperatures. Good structural quality films showing sharp electron channeling patterns and pronounced photoluminescence at 77 K are obtained. The full width at half maximum of the band‐edge peak is 12 meV at 77 K.